Cardiac Exam

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The purpose of the cardiac exam is to gather data regarding heart diseases in dogs, and to identify dogs which are phenotypically normal prior to use in a breeding program. For the purposes of the registry, a phenotypically normal dog is defined as:

  • One without a cardiac murmur.

  • One with an innocent heart murmur that is found to be otherwise normal by virtue of an echocardiographic examination which includes Doppler studies.

Congenital Cardiac Database

Congenital heart disease in dogs is a malformation of the heart or great vessels. The lesions characterizing congenital heart defects are present at birth and may develop more fully during perinatal and growth periods. Many congenital heart defects are thought to be genetically transmitted from parents to offspring; however, the exact modes of inheritance have not been precisely determined for all cardiovascular malformations.

The most common congenital cardiovascular defects can be grouped into several anatomic categories. These anatomic diagnoses include:

  • Malformation of the atrioventricular valves

  • Malformation of the ventricular outflow leading to obstruction of blood flow

  • Defects of the cardiac septa (shunts)

  • Abnormal development of the great vessels or other vascular structures

  • Complex, multiple, or other congenital disorders of the heart, pericardium, or blood vessels

Examination and Classification

Each dog is to be examined and classified by a veterinarian with expertise in the recognition of canine heart disease, in accordance with procedures outlined in The Cardiac Exam section.